“Is not My Word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

[The following excerpt is from Herescope’s review of the Jonathan Welton contribution to The Physics of Heaven. You can link to the rest of the review at the end of what is posted here.]

According to Herescope:

Ironically, this chapter, “Authentic vs. Counterfeit” by Jonathan Welton,[2] proposes that Christians should pursue separating the true from the false in New Age Religion, and reclaim the truths that religion stole from the church. The chapter’s “most important point” is,

If there is a counterfeit, there is an authentic that we need to find and reclaim. Every time we see a masquerade, we need too look closely to properly discern what is being counterfeited, because a counterfeit is evidence that an authentic exists. (TPOH, 42)

“Resistors” and “Fearers”
To advance his bold thesis, Welton needs to discredit conservative Christian critics who question the legitimacy of such a reclamation project and therefore states, “The way that God moves in power looks a lot like the New Age, and this has scared many Christians away from the operating gifts of the Holy Spirit.”(TPOH, 45) So he breaks down the way religious people view the supernatural into 3 Groups—
1.Those who operate in the supernatural realm authentically (i.e., the signs and wonders crowd of the New Apostolic Reformation);
2.Those who operate in the supernatural realm fraudulently (i.e., New Agers, Buddhists, Hindus and Occultists); and
3.Those who view the supernatural realm skeptically.
Welton perceives Group 3 to be comprised of “fellow Christians who believe false doctrines regarding the operation of supernatural power.”(TPOH, 48)

Many Christians today are partaking in astrology, unbiblical meditation, so-called Christian yoga, and calling on angels, in spite of the fact that Scripture clearly teaches that believers must not do as the pagans do. Marsha West lays out for us some of the practices God deems evil. click here to read article…

The following is the first part of a review by Pastor Larry DeBruyn of Chapter 2 of The Physics of Heaven, a book with disturbing New Age implications. It is all the more disturbing because it is co-authored by Bethel of Redding Pastor Bill Johnson’s personal assistant, Judy Franklin. Bill Johnson and his wife, Beni, are also contributors to the book.

The review begins below:

Review of Chapter 2 (authored by Ellyn Davis):
“Extracting the Precious From the Worthless”[1]

“Therefore, thus says the Lord,
‘If you return, then I will restore you—
Before Me you will stand;And if you extract the precious from the worthless,
You will become My spokesman.
They for their part may turn to you,
But as for you, you must not turn to them’.”
Emphasis added, Jeremiah 15:19[2]

Introduction
Seeking
In their searching for spiritual truth, Ellyn Davis proposes that Christians engage New Age Religion (NAR) to seek for and take back truths which originally belonged to citizens of the Kingdom of God. (TPOH, 15) In that counterfeits prove the existence of the genuine, Davis, a former hippie from the 60s, has decided to commence a search for truth amidst a spirituality of lies. By her admission, she views much in New Age Religion that is “worthless,” but also thinks that its spirituality possesses truths which are “precious.” This assumption derives from her observing and being intrigued by “healings and mystical experiences and revelations” in New Age Religion which rival anything she “had seen or experienced” in the charismatic church; hence the chapter’s title—Extracting the Precious From the Worthless.(TPOH, 14)

Within the next week or so My Word Like Fire will publish a report from fourteen year old researcher Preston Zleisy concerning the anti-biblical aspects of Pokémon. Zleisy is warning about something which few adults have any knowledge of at all.

A great resource for discernment about video games in general is Apolomedia, the website of Carl Kerby, Jr., Drew Thorwall, and Solomon Richardson. The excerpt below about Minecraft is taken straight from this website, which you can link to Here. (The link to the entire Minecraft article is at the end of the excerpt.)

According to Apolomedia:

WHAT ABOUT GOD IN MINECRAFT?
However, one of our gaming friends came up to us after a presentation one day pointing out that we had missed the most important part about Minecraft when it comes to spiritual matters! He sent a link to the “ending” of the game. What we saw there was mindblowing and changed our entire understanding of Minecraft.

You could produce an entire documentary on the 8 minute ending scene of this game. In essence, it is an 8 minute wall of new age teaching that seemingly comes out of nowhere and certainly flies in the face of a biblical perspective on God and the created universe. This is a significant place to not only recognize the challenge, but to get the answers and know how to go back to the Bible to find truth.

Look at these statements with which the player is rewarded upon completing the game: (It should be noted many players are frustrated by being forced to read all this text for 8 minutes, regardless of religious beliefs.)

“and the universe said I love you”
“and the universe said you have played the game well”
“and the universe said everything you need is within you”
“and the universe said you are stronger than you know”
“and the universe said the light you seek is within you”
“and the universe said you are not alone”
“and the universe said you are not separate from every other thing”
“and the universe said I love you because you are love”

By reading that, you would almost think this was a biblically based game. Isn’t “the universe” just another way of saying “God”? It talks about light and love and everything! The unnerving part about this is that the way they equivocate “the universe” with God could lead Christ-following gamers almost to buy in to the purported majesty of the universe as it describes the universe with words similar to the way the Bible describes God. It is the kind of close-but-no-cigar language that leaves our defenses down.

“And the game was over and the player woke up from the dream. And the player began a new dream. And the player dreamed again, dreamed better. And the player was the universe. And the player was love.

You are the player. Wake up”

Did you catch that? The game tells you that the universe tells you that you are love, but the Bible tells us God is love (1 John 4:8). The universe tells you that everything you need is within you, but the Bible reminds us that God knows what we need and gives it to us (Psalm 23; 2 Peter 1:3). The game says you are stronger than you know, but the Bible says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13) even as God commands us to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9) because, as the game says, we are not alone, but He is with us.

If it wasn’t clear yet, the game is essentially telling the player “you are god”. “The player was the universe. And the player was love.” After all the hours of mining, all the hours of building, all the hours of someone else saying “can I use the computer yet…” the culmination of your effort is meant to be the realization that you are the godlike universe.

All this from a blank canvas infinite lego set game! Just imagine what else is out there in games where the plot and characters take center stage! Believe it or not, we don’t say this all to scare you, though if it shocks you into action then we believe our mission is accomplished!

WHAT DO I DO?
Determining what action to take as a parent or gamer is up to you. You have to answer: “What about Minecraft?”

We see three main options for the way people usually respond:

Response 1. Play no more. “I don’t want to let my children play these games anymore, because I don’t want to support these messages. There is a much more God honoring way to spend my money and my time.”

Response 2. Play with your eyes wide open. “Thank you for letting us know what are in these games. I am going to sit down with my children and have a Bible study with them. I want to make sure they know what truth it so they are prepared next time a message like this is thrown at them.

Response 3. Just Play. “It’s just a game. Stop making a big deal out of it.”

We won’t tell you which one to choose, but let us just challenge you with this… don’t be the person from Response 3. Instead, take the opportunity to get into God’s Word. Whatever decision you make, as an individual or as a family, make it prayerfully. Find real answers, and share those answers with the world around us! Odds are you know more than one person who plays Minecraft. This could be a great opportunity to start a spiritual conversation on a topic they already care about! We live in a world that has many dark places in desperate need of light. And we need to be the one’s to shine it.

If we become bold in our faith and confident in the Bible, we have a chance to speak the truth of God’s word to a whole culture of gamers who may be getting their only spiritual messages from games. And that is a big deal.

You can read the entire article, Minecraft: Friend or Foe? by clicking Here.

In the article, Mark Chironna’s New Age/Quantum Mysticism at Bethel Redding Conference, we examined the “quantum” teachings Mark Chironna shared at the (Bill Johnson/Bethel Redding) Piercing The Darkness Conference. Read

In 2012, Bethel Church of Redding leaders Bill and Beni Johnson were contributors to The Physics of Heaven, a book with shocking New Age/Quantum Mysticism implications. According to co-author Ellyn Davis:

[The contributors of the book] all agree that the next move of God will cause a shift at the deepest level of who we are—perhaps the very “vibrational level” that the New Age movement has been exploring. They also all agree that there are precious truths hidden in the New Age that belong to us as Christians and need to be extracted from the worthless.” [1]

So it is not surprising that Bill Johnson allowed Mark Chironna to teach his new age/quantum mysticism, since this seems to be the direction he is also headed.

Interestingly, Mark Chironna has had a long association with Len Sweet, a man who has done much to bring quantum concepts into the church. [2] A reader recently informed me of this relationship, and sent me the above video above where Chironna talks about Sweet joining him at a conference.**

She also sent me the link to a book written by Mark Chironna with the Foreword by Len Sweet: Here

What does all this mean? Mark Chironna has most certainly shared his quantum gospel with others in Word of Faith circles, and within the visible church. Len Sweet’s book, Quantum Spirituality, continues to exert influence two decades after it was published.

God is not in everything and everybody. Mankind is not in God, nor is mankind a part of God. Quantum spirituality is drawing many toward an Eastern/New Age understanding, and it is very important to know what the Bible says about “God’s Relationship To Everything.” Read

“Will faith in God’s Word become a thing of the past as ‘science’ replaces faith? A growing number of church figures have directly or indirectly introduced quantum physics with its New Age implications into their teachings and writings.” –Warren B. Smith, Another Jesus Calling, pg. 103

In 2012 the book, The Physics of Heaven, was released. Shocking in its enthusiasm for quantum physics/quantum mysticism, and in its lack of discernment about New Age practices, the book has the approval and participation of Bethel Church of Redding’s movers and shakers. Bethel leader Bill Johnson contributed a chapter to the book, as did his wife, Beni Johnson. The Physics of Heaven is co-authored by Judy Franklin, Bill Johnson’s personal assistant. The foreword is written by Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate Leader at Bethel.

As disturbing as The Physics of Heaven is, at least the book serves as a warning that Bill Johnson and Bethel (and others) are heading toward a New Age/quantum mysticism understanding of God. [1]

Before we get to Mark Chironna and the quantum heresy he spewed out during a Bethel conference–with the full approval of Bill Johnson–let us briefly define terms.

The New Age: What does the New Age believe? According to Ray Yungen, “Everything that exists, seen or unseen, is made up of energy—tiny particles of vibrating energy, atoms, molecules, protons, etc. All is energy. That energy, they believe, is God, and therefore, all is God. They believe that since we are all part of this ‘God-energy,’ then we, too, are God. God is not seen as a Being that dwells in heaven, but as the universe itself.” [2]

Quantum spirituality or quantum mysticism: This is a spiritual interpretation of quantum physics. It is favored by the New Age because it seems to demonstrate that everything is interconnected at an unseen, sub-atomic level. Thus, New Agers use it as “proof” we are all One.

All is One? Everything is connected?

Warren B. Smith notes the New Age “is already heralding quantum physics as a ‘scientific’ basis that God is not only transcendent but also immanent–‘in’ everyone and everything.” [3]

But God is not “in” everyone. Mankind is not One with God. We know this from the Scriptures.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:9)

The only people with God in them are those who know the biblical Christ as Lord and Savior–those who have been born again. In terms of the universe, earth, and nature, God is as separate from His creation as He is from unredeemed mankind. To research this theological battleground further, click here.

Through The Physics of Heaven, and the quantum teaching of Mark Chironna at the Bethel conference, Bill Johnson has furthered the assault on the biblical understanding of God.

The teaching given by Mark Chironna at Bethel Church in Redding California during the 2012 Piercing The Darkness Prophetic Conference was titled, “If it wants to happen, it needs to be spoken.” Chironna promoted quantum principles not only as proof that we are all connected, but also to further his speak-it-into-existence Word of Faith heresy.

At one point Chironna states, “How did that water turn into wine? Jesus talked it into existence.” Does the Bible state this? No.

You can hear the whole thing right here: Fighting For The Faith Start listening in the second hour of the show, at approximately 63 minutes and 15 seconds. Host Chris Rosebrough offered much correction, acknowledging that it was like herding heretical cats–so much heresy scattering in all directions.

Apparently relying on the scholarship of a now deceased Anglican, Chironna made a number of references to the New Age, telling his audience Christians were the only ones who could truly call themselves New Agers. (70 minute mark to 70 minutes and 45 seconds)

According to Chironna:

[He has Jesus saying] “New Age of the Spirit.” (86 minutes 47 seconds)

The woman at the well “has received an impartation which has put her into the New Age.” (85 minutes 34 seconds)

Why all these New Age references? This is a demonic desensitization, pure and simple. Bethel is being prepared for quantum mysticism and New Age practices. This is not ultimately about Chironna, but the forces in Ephesians 6:12.

That being said, consider how New Age-esque Chironna continues to sound here:

98:55: “This leap into the Age of the Spirit is marked by a few things. …It’s marked by a shift in our interior identity. Something changes inside us about the way we perceive ourselves. …When you change the way you perceive yourself, you change. And when you change the world is for grabs and the future is now about what wants to emerge that’s been waiting for the shift to take place in me.”

Chironna then begins his introduction of quantum mysticism:

99:55: And this leap is not just marked by a shift in our interior identity, it’s also marked by an awareness that everything in creation is connected. Everything is connected. Say everything is connected.” [Audience dutifully repeats] (emphasis mine)

100:15: “And it’s connected at deep interpenetrating levels, at a sub-atomic dimension. Our problem is we walk in the illusion of separation. But we are not separate. We are connected. When Paul says we are all one body in Christ in Galatians 4, literally in the Greek it’s we’re all one person.” (emphasis mine)

101 minutes and three seconds: Chironna then uses a talk given by a British quantum physicist as proof that everything in the universe is connected. The scientist apparently rubbed a diamond and stated that this friction at a sub-atomic level was affecting the molecular movement of the farthest known star, five billion light years away. Why? Because everything is interconnected…

And then, horribly, Chironna explains that Jesus could heal people from a distance because of quantum principles! (Luke 7:1-10, Matthew 8:5-10, John 4:46-54) He seems perhaps to have combined two healings, but most of us are familiar with the story of the faithful centurion.

102 minutes and 40 seconds: “So when Jesus says I’ll go with you to heal your son and the centurion servant says you don’t have to go. You can stand right where you are. I’m a man under authority. I understand authority. You don’t have to come into my house. All you need to do is stand right here and influence things at a distance because everything’s connected in your world in a way I understand in mine. Just speak the word and it’ll take place because it’s all connected.” (emphasis mine)

Chironna has just reduced the centurion’s faith and Christ’s power down to their supposedly common understanding of manipulating quantum spiritual principles.

103 minutes and 19 seconds: “There’s a shift in our interior identity, there’s gotta be a fundamental shift to where we stop seeing everything as separated and disconnected and start operating in the awareness everything is connected. Everything is connected. You start acting as if you’re already connected in your future and stuff will start lining up in a way you never expected it to before.”

2 hours 5 minutes and 10 seconds: “That’s why it’s so important to soak.” (Soaking is a form of anti-biblical meditation).

Remember when Elijah prayed for rain? Elijah sent his servant to look out at the sea, to see if clouds had appeared.

He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. (1 Kings 18:43)

Blasphemously, Mark Chironna gives Elijah a quantum response, with a rebuke to the servant for reporting that nothing has appeared. At 2 hours, 21 minutes, 17 seconds Chironna dares to say:

“Elijah says, ‘You dummy! In the quantum physical world they have proven there is no such thing as nothing. Because the observer is influencing the observed and creation is moving in response to what I’m intending to bring about.'”

2 hours, 26 minutes: “God didn’t make it rain.”

Near the end of his blasphemous message, Chironna tells his listeners, “If something is shifting inside you you’ve already heard from heaven. You already know what wants to emerge. And if it wants to happen you need to speak it into existence.” (2 hours, 29 minutes, 45 seconds) (emphasis mine)

But following these teachings will not result in hearing from heaven, but from hell.

The fact that the New Age/Quantum Mysticism book, The Physics of Heaven, has the approval and participation of Bethel of Redding’s movers and shakers (Bill Johnson, Beni Johnson and others) should greatly concern the Body of Christ.

Bill and Beni Johnson and the book’s other contributors “all agree that the next move of God will cause a shift at the deepest level of who we are—perhaps the very ‘vibrational level’ that the New Age movement has been exploring. They also all agree that there are precious truths hidden in the New Age that belong to us as Christians and need to be extracted from the worthless.” [1] (Emphasis mine)

This is a problem.

Herescope has reviewed The Physics of Heaven. To read clickBook Review

According to the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, “Sometimes we had to search fearlessly, but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis, it is only there that He may be found. It was so with us.” (pg. 55, bold mine)

That is right out of the New Age/New Thought handbook.

How many hurting, unsaved alcoholics come to believe this is true–that God can only be found by looking deep down within themselves? This is one of many examples of A.A. Big Book heresy–a complete denial of Jesus Christ.

When is God within people? When those people have accepted Christ as Savior. The Bible tells us: However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:9)

Wowza…To my complete astonishment, The New Age Propensities of Bethel Church’s Bill Johnson is now available on Kindle. In 2012 Bill Johnson and his wife, Beni Johnson, were two of the contributors to a book with dangerous New Age implications. Bethel Church leader Kris Vallotton wrote the foreword, and the book’s co-author is Bill Johnson’s personal assistant, Judy Franklin!

Here is what co-author Ellyn Davis states about the book’s contributors:

“[The contributors of the book] all agree that the next move of God will cause a shift at the deepest level of who we are—perhaps the very “vibrational level” that the New Age movement has been exploring. They also all agree that there are precious truths hidden in the New Age that belong to us as Christians and need to be extracted from the worthless.”